They say you can’t really be a chef unless you learn how to make Caesar salad from scratch. That’s absolutely correct. Like me, you must’ve had enjoyed your chicken caesar salads at a restaurant where they make it fresh every time. Back home, I confess I use the prepared sauces because it saves you time when other people make them for you.

It would taste better this way too. Trust me, having caesar salads with packaged dressing beats making it from scratch especially when you don’t have the time (or the expertise) to make them fresh. I tried it once and failed. I looked at the mess I was making and vowed never do this at home again. I better have more training before I take out this recipe again.

I know some people can relate to this. I know the feeling of wanting to make something authentic like how the professionals do it. Missing the education and armed only with experience, I did try it. Even then, it was no good so I better leave the experimenting up to the pros.

On a recipe like a Caesar salad, you can’t afford to compromise on the ingredients at all. They have to be complete or else it wouldn’t taste the same even on a ready-made dressing. This is a simple salad recipe but one where everything has to be there. It just wouldn’t taste the same otherwise.

Ingredients

• 1 single chicken breast fillet
• 1 egg
• 4 rindless bacon rashers, cut crossways into thin strips
• Foot long baguette (French breadstick), diagonally cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
• 1 baby cos lettuce, leaves separated, washed, dried
• 1/2 cup Caesar salad dressing

Description

1. Warm up a nonstick frying pan over medium to high heat. Drop in the chicken breast slowly and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side. When cooked through, transfer on a plate and cover with foil. Set aside for a while before thinly slicing across the grain.
2. Take your egg, place it on a small saucepan with cold water and bring this to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to gently boil it uncovered. Stir occasionally for 7 minutes. Next, drain and cool under cold running water then peel and slice in half.
3. Return the frying pan over to the stove and cook bacon for 5 minutes or until crisp.
4. Preheat grill and then place baguette slices and toast each side for 1 minute or until golden. Slice to make croutons.
5. On a serving plate, arrange chicken slices, lettuce, egg and croutons (baguette). Drizzle on the salad dressing. Then sprinkle with bacon and serve immediately.